Nov. 13, 1964 - Muhammad Ali underwent successful surgery tonight for a hernia. The defense of his world heavyweight championship against Sonny Liston, scheduled at Boston Monday night, was postponed indefinitely.
A one‐hour operation was termed a “complete success” by Dr. William McDermott, chief of the medical team that performed the surgery.
Sam Silverman, the promoter at the Boston Garden, called off the bout shortly after the 22‐year‐old Ali had been admitted to the hospital.
Dr. McDermott said Ali would be in the hospital a week to 10 days and would not be able to do any heavy labor for three months.
He said serious complications might have developed had the surgery been delayed. There almost was a delay. Members of the Ali entourage that belong to the Black Muslims wanted Ali to go to a private hospital. Ali was stricken while he and his entourage of about 15 persons were watching the movie “Little Caesar” in their suite at the Sherry Biltmore Hotel.
According to Drew (Bundini) Brown, an assistant trainer, the group had finished a dinner of steak, spinach, potatoes, and a tossed salad and were viewing the film, which had been rented. Ali suddenly complained of nausea and vomited. Then he complained of extreme pain in the lower right abdomen.
He and several members of his party were taken by ambulance to Boston City Hospital about 7 o’clock. There a team of physicians discovered he had an incarcerated hernia and recommended surgery. They had first considered arresting the hernia without surgery.
Al Braverman, Liston’s press aide, reported Liston’s reaction.
“If he didn’t carry on in the street the way he did, he wouldn’t have hurt himself,” said Liston. Liston heard the hews at his White Cliffs of Plymouth training camp, about 55 miles from Boston.
“Well, let’s all put our aprons on and go to work and pay the bill,” Liston said.
Ali was reported to have suffered a strain in his lower abdomen when he was 16 years old. Apparently, no one knew the exact cause of the hernia, however. Dr. Morris Prizer, the hospital’s executive physician, indicated it was probably congenital and had become acute because of Ali’s rigorous training schedule.
Dr. Prizer said congenital hernias were not uncommon and they defied detection in most cases.
Dr. Shapiro said it was possible the vomiting had induced the herniation.
“I don’t think his road work did it,” he said.
Dr. Shapiro said that had Ali suffered from the hernia during the fight, the fight would have been stopped and Liston would have been awarded a technical knockout.
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